So it looks as though there will be presidential debates after all
And with the unusual twist that both of the two participants – Biden and Trump – actually have been presidents.
Biden suddenly accepted two debates under certain terms that were favorable to him, and Trump agreed. The two debates will take place in June and September. Trump must think he can wipe the floor with Biden, but that didn’t happen last time because even 50% coherence from Biden was considered a victory, and of course the playing field will once again be slanted towards Biden: CNN.
Biden went into macho swagger mode and acted as though Trump had been the one dragging his feet:
Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate.
Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again.
Well, make my day, pal. pic.twitter.com/AkPmvs2q4u
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 15, 2024
It’s a 14 sec clip and there are so many edits. His team can’t even keep the camera in the same place to avoid the sudden shifts between the several spots.
Notice how they put a bunch of quick edits in Biden’s silly challenge video to make him seem energetic, when in reality he almost certainly stumbled and bumbled through a dozen takes and these edits were culled from the most coherent moments.
I know a lot of people are saying that Trump has made a big mistake by acquiescing to all of the Biden camp’s conditions for these debates. But the reality is, Biden is going to have to stand and talk for an extended period of time to answer these “questions” (which I can only imagine CNN will give to the Biden team in advance). I don’t think they’ll let Biden use a teleprompter, or if they do, they won’t be able to hide it since Trump will see it too obviously. And in recent months, Biden has performed poorly in the few interviews he has done, which have all been the softest of softball interviews.
Much like the debates of the past, no one will probably watch them and will rely on their chosen media outlet to tell them who won.
So Biden fans will be assured that he won and Trump fans will likewise be told he won.
As long as people get their information filtered by talking heads, there’s really no point to having debates.
People aware of the rumors regarding Biden’s condition will likely watch the first debate to see for themselves how badly he’s doing. And since the second debate is three months later, they might watch that to see whether he’s doing worse.
Also, if there’s an obvious major malfunction, video of it will quickly circulate online.
The BBC seems to think a ton of people watched in 2020.
I have no idea how they arrived at those numbers, but yeah, I imagine a fair number of people will watch. Whether the events of the debates will change anyone’s mind is another matter.
I doubt even the first one will take place.
File under: “I want to debate him I really do…but he went and got himself convicted of a serious felony. I can’t debate a felon…I can’t debate a crook…and even if I wanted to I just can’t to that to the American people…”
I can find no contemporaneous account of the bbc, which seems to have chimps sorting out their algorithm, this is a professional media outfit*
It’s hard to imagine, in the instance of this particular matchup/rematch, that there’s a whole lot of people for whom a debate might change their position.
I think Trump just called Biden’s bluff. Biden will have to dream-up some excuse to withdraw from the debates.
I’m not concerned about the lack of teleprompter, it’s the tiny earpiece Biden will have.
If there are any debates, Biden will be jacked up on a cocktail of drugs that would kill an elephant. He’ll also likely be wearing a wire. What Trump should do is keep his answers short and to the point, and then yield his remaining 90 seconds or so to Biden, who won’t know how to fill up the extra time. It would be comedy gold to see him bewildered, not knowing what to do, repeating out loud, word for word the instructions he hears in his earpiece, and in the process becoming more and more agitated.
For anyone who thinks I’m picking on a frail old man, remember it was his wife, his family, the Democratic party, and god knows who else that is responsible for this.
“For anyone who thinks I’m picking on a frail old man, remember it was his wife, his family, the Democratic party, and god knows who else that is responsible for this.”
He wanted this job. This ring. His ‘Precious!’
Just because he is old and frail is no reason not to pick on him. Mock him. Insult him.
What do we think the outcome of a debate is going to be? That everyone in America sees Biden for what he is a la “Lonesome” Rhodes in a A Face in the Crowd, and then turn out in November to vote against him in such numbers that the election can’t be rigged?
Because if we think that, we’ve been living under a rock.
Did we forget all the times in recent elections when the media freaked out about how poorly their favorite candidate did in the debate, and then they won anyway?
Why do I feel it’s Charlie Brown trying to kick the football held by Lucy?
Trump will be debating Communist News Network and Sundowner will get a pass on every lie he says?
Maybe it will be an actor pretending to be Biden. Mask technology has come a long way. Since both obviously use body doubles, both should have to be fingerprinted before the debate. Otherwise, Biden will surprise everyone with how sharp he is, as he occasionally does.
What Trump should do is keep his answers short and to the point, and then yield his remaining 90 seconds or so to Biden, who won’t know how to fill up the extra time.
Sgt.+Joe+Friday:
I like it!
That everyone in America sees Biden for what he is a la “Lonesome” Rhodes in a A Face in the Crowd, and then turn out in November to vote against him in such numbers that the election can’t be rigged?
Because if we think that, we’ve been living under a rock.
Niketas Choniates:
I’m sure the election will be rigged, i.e. fortified, by Democrats. ‘Twas ever thus.
But for all that Trump won in 2016 and a lot of Democrats are very nervous in 2024.
Too Big to Rig.
Those aren’t just pretty words. If one argues that Dems can dial in any result they want, why do they seem so desperate now?
PS Big points for mentioning “A Face in the Crowd.” Anyone who thinks they know Andy Griffith from Mayberry has got another think coming.
When have they done that in recent memory they always praise their candidate to the hilt at least 2000
Now mccain basically bowed out in 2008 but as to bidens rival he flubbed everything and they still painted with laurels
“Lonesome” Rhodes was much more Andy Griffith than Sheriff Taylor ever was. Andy was a hardcore communist in real life.
Yes he was a liberal democrat they got the whole gang together opey andy and co for an ad for obama
If one argues that Dems can dial in any result they want, why do they seem so desperate now?
Either herd stupidity, like when they all panicked in unison over Obama’s debate performance against Romney, or propaganda, pretending it’s a real election the outcome of which is not yet decided.
But for all that Trump won in 2016
Because Hillary and the Dems were high on their own supply and didn’t bother to fortify. They took care of that in 2020 and have built on it since.
“Too big to rig” would have to be something like 70% – 90% of likely voters, given the way ballot harvesting works, where the Ds pick up everything they need among the 50% of people who don’t normally vote. Some thing like 40% of likely voters will vote D in any and all circumstances.
I just watched this eight minute video. It’s much better than watching a debate, which will be rigged as much as possible in Biden’s favor.
Every voter should see this video from X before the election. Pass it on.
https://x.com/tomklingenstein/status/1777734293982257418?s=46&t=ZbXjuPG2OY8iQ_idsL6v7g
“Lonesome” Rhodes was much more Andy Griffith than Sheriff Taylor ever was. Andy was a hardcore communist in real life.
Alan+Colbo:
It wouldn’t surprise me that Griffith was more liberal than Sheriff Taylor, but you’ll have to provide some cites that he was a “hardcore communist.”
However, my point earlier was that Griffith, as an actor, had more strings in his banjo than an affable country fella from Smalltown, America.
I thought his performance in “A Face in the Crowd” was riveting.
As it happens a café friend and I were discussing “Face” recently. I’m watching it now.
The opening credits are backed by an instrumental based on Mississippi bluesman Fred McDowell’s, “You Gotta Move.” I know it from the fifth track of the Stone’s “Sticky Fingers” album.
–Rolling Stones “You Gotta Move”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t8WNuKMqCw
“Face” was directed by Elia Kazan, who also directed “On the Waterfront” and “Streetcar Named Desire.” He had been a registered communist, but later he named names before the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC) and became anathema to the Left ever after.
Interesting story.
“Andy was a hardcore communist in real life.” – Alan Colbo
He was a Democrat at a time when Democrat party hadn’t been taken over by the left. Why do you say he was a communist, and a hardcore one at that?
“Too big to rig” would have to be something like 70% – 90% of likely voters,
Niketas Choniates:
So you say. I’m not so sure. In fact I doubt it.
Let’s stick a pin in it and revisit Nov 6.
So what do you suggest mr choniates i have my reservations as stated if the franchise is fraudulent then what? What is to be done?
What are the odds CNN gives Joe the questions a few weeks before the debate?
Are you sure this jolting fast-cut editing isn’t just an attempt on the part of the producers to make The Marionette look cool and hip and edgy and all that? It is, after all, the prevailing style of videography among the youths these days, or so it seems. And as we all know, there’s that youth-vote enthusiasm gap to consider….
2016 was fortified, just not enough. Hillary lost a rigged election which has stuck in her craw. 2020 was also not fortified enough which resulted in all the idiotic late night shenanigans.
…and all those truckloads of ballots headed for PA…and who knows where else…
– – – – – – – – –
“…why do they seem so desperate now?”
I think “seem” is the operative word.
(Though maybe they truly think that “Biden” is indeed in trouble…and/or maybe they truly think that “Biden” did indeed “win” in 2020 with a record number of votes. The ONLY question to be asked is: “Is “Biden” TRULY desperate?”)
Adderall is likely the pre-debate drug of choice for Biden.
The stories of Biden’s superior performance and victory over Trump are already written. Just need to fill in some specific examples from the actual debates.
Surprised we didn’t see one of those movie like edits and a tie switch in the middle of the video
yes its called laphamization, after the harper’s editor who wrote a profile on the 2004 convention, before it happened,
@huxley:Let’s stick a pin in it and revisit Nov 6.
It’s not 1980. Nov 6 is way too late. Voting and ballot harvesting start long before that. The courts will find any reason to refuse to overturn an election after the fact, just like they did in 2020.
@miguel+cervantesSo what do you suggest mr choniates i have my reservations as stated if the franchise is fraudulent then what? What is to be done?
In order of importance, and of likely success:
Step 1: Ask God to grant you the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference. His Kingdom is not of this world, and He did not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword. A crown of martyrdom may be the best thing you can hope for in this mess, and no one can take it from you, you can only give it up by your own actions and lack of faith. See to it that doesn’t happen. (If you’re not a Christian then do whatever the equivalent is in your faith. If you’re not religious you will probably just be ground down, that’s what generally happened in the Gulag anyway.)
Step 2: Work with your friends and neighbors who aren’t beyond hope to strengthen your local communities and build alternative institutions. The local library lets the homeless watch porn on the library computers and shoot up in the bathroom, work with your neighbors to start your own. The local schools indoctrinate leftism and transgenderism, work with your neighbors to start your own. If you’re in a place with neighbors you can’t work with, you can move, or you can stay in place and watch things get worse while you work on Step 1.
Step 3: Starting from the most local elections, work with your neighbors to purge the hogs at the trough who will let the Leftist social engineering happen provided they get to help their cronies to tax money. School board, city and county government, port authority, whatever, and work your way up to state legislature and governor. If you’re already in a red state, that means you’re fighting Republicans. The Dems have an ideological wing that mostly works hand in hand with its pork barrel wing and they help each other achieve concrete outcomes. The Republicans are mostly pork barrellers who pay lip service to their ideology but marginalize their ideological wing when it comes to legislation and appropriation. This must be changed. Only a few examples need be made before the pork barrellers learn the lesson: they need to be in office to build their wealth and influence, and they’ll only respond to threats to lose office. Since they’re unprincipled they’ll be happy to adopt yours if they can keep appropriating your money thereby. But they must be held accountable for outcomes, not intentions or efforts. We’ve been doing it the other way for 50 years and look where it got us. Everything gained in 1994 or by the Tea Party was deliberately thrown away by the people we entrusted to safeguard it.
a little levity
https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1791118076592996563
Trump team needs to challenge Kennedy Team to a debate and publicly challenge Biden team to join them. Make a very vocal deal about Biden not debating Kennedy.
“As long as people get their information filtered by talking heads, there’s really no point to having debates.”
I was watching Ford in his debate with Carter. I was screaming at the TV when Ford said his fatal sentence. I also suspect that the fix was in in the Obama-Romney debate.
Love Biden’s beady little black eyes. It’s like they had to drug him up to get him through the commercial. The jump cuts are intended to make Biden look dynamic, but are they also used to conceal how many different takes were necessary to put the clip together?
“A Face in the Crowd” may have been good for its time, but now everybody believes the act they are putting on. Politicians, consultants, and PR people know they are putting on an act, but they also know that the best performance is one you believe in and that manipulation works best when it’s sincere, so they don’t let down the mask. Politicians are, or quickly become, true believers. It’s easier that way. Also, they don’t record all their private conversations like Nixon did.
I don’t know if Andy Griffith was any kind of communist, but he was stepping out with one of the actresses on his show, and as with Tom Hanks, people wonder if was ever really as nice as he pretended to be.
Because Hillary and the Dems were high on their own supply and didn’t bother to fortify.
Keep going and you’ll have an epic poem, or at least an epigram.
I hope Trump prepares this time. I wouldn’t expect a detailed, highly focused performance from either man, but it would be good if Trump didn’t just try to wing it.